What happens if you take martial versatility for a weapon in more than one group?

[Korlos]

Let's say a character takes Martial Versatility for the bardiche. Note the bardiche appears in more than one weapon group (axe and polearm). The specific weapon doesn't matter, just that it is in more than one group.

Does the character have to choose one and only one group to forever apply weapon focus to? Do they get weapon focus with both groups? Can they pick one or the other at will?

[Brain in a Jar]

It would apply to any weapon within the same group.

So in the case of a weapon in multiple groups they would all be valid. The feat doesn't have a limiter on number of weapon groups affected.

[KainPen]

Ask your dm. Is the only real answer to give you, RAW and RAI, does not say you pick a group, only that if the weapon you choose with that feat, you can then apply that feat to all weapon of the group that they are in. RAW seems to suggest that since bardiche is in both the AXE and POLE group weapons, you get to use said feat on any one of the weapons in those two groups.

This really should not be a problem, because all the weapon feats that can be used for this are fairly low and weak feats, your talking +1 to hit, +2 damage or improved crit-range on limit selection of weapons.
Compared to barbarian raging and getting a bonus on all melee weapons, or a urban barb that use fineness weapon and ranged weapons get a bonus on all of them. which is a much larger grouping.

All this feat really does is saving you from having to retrain a few feats via retrain rules or your bonus feat every 4 levels as fighter, if you happening to find a better weapon. Say a +4 Great axe instead of your +1 bardiche

[Claxon]

Most of the feats that can be used with this aren't really going to matter too much. Oh, you can count as having weapon focus and greater weapon focus with your backup weapons instead of your main weapon and they can just happen to be any axe or polearm.

The way this game works it really isn't much of a benefit to be able to use it with any weapon instead of just one since the game mechanics shoehorn you into using one 99% of the time.

It's neat and situationally useful, but it's not going to better than just having it for one weapon the majority of the time.

[Arachnofiend]

Claxon wrote:

The way this game works it really isn't much of a benefit to be able to use it with any weapon instead of just one since the game mechanics shoehorn you into using one 99% of the time.

There's actually a cool new feat in the Weapon Master's Handbook that makes having a golfbag of weapons entirely worth it; Weapon Material Mastery gives your weapon a neat rider effect depending on the special material the weapon is made of. For example, cold iron weapons can dispel magic.

[Claxon]

Yes, but you could just have the same weapon made of all the different materials.

You don't really need Martial Versatility feat to take advantage of that.